Related Field
The present invention relates to a system and a method for organizing graphics contents within a display system.
In particular the invention relates to a system and method for organizing graphics contents within an avionics display to allow an operator to readily view a large amount of graphic content simultaneously.
Furthermore, the invention relates to software adapted to perform steps of the organization method when executed on a computer.
Description of Related Art
In control systems of today, developments in digital technology have enabled complex functionality. However as a direct result from the development, the need of additional system capacity and functionality provided by software and various components such as sensors, processors, display units, data buses and memory units is increasing.
Real-time systems for critical control applications, wherein typically data from sensor/s are acquired, communicated and processed to provide a control signal to an actuator pose strict demands regarding bandwidth, data delivery time, redundancy, fail-safety and integrity. Failure to meet one or several of these demands can in applications including “brake-by-wire” or “steer-by-wire” prove potentially dangerous.
One such area wherein reliable high-speed real-time execution and communication of data is of outmost importance is within avionics systems. Advances in technology during late 1960 and early 1970 made it necessary to share information between different avionics subsystems in order to reduce the number of functional modules. A single sensor such as a position sensor provided information to weapon systems, display system, autopilot and navigation system.
The possibilities gained by the development within the field of computer technology have also increased the amount of processed data available to a pilot containing situation awareness information, relevant for decision making. This in combination with presentation of flight critical data, related to for example navigation, adds to the number of interactive presentations that are necessary and/or desired to provide in a cockpit display system.
Typically avionics subsystems, such as sensors, actuators, controllers and display units communicate with each other using standardized communication protocols. The commercial Aeronautical Radio Inc. (ARINC) 661, specification is a civil protocol standard for the definition of a cockpit display system and its communication with a client system arranged to manage avionics functions. Each independent client system is provided with a separate layer of a display surface. The protocol provides a safe implementation for several independent client systems to simultaneously present data on a single display surface of a display system. Furthermore implementation of the ARINC 661 facilitates software certification in accordance with the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) DO-178B guidance document. Software re-certification resulting from system modifications such as additions of new client systems or modifications to the existing client systems is also facilitated.
However, the display systems according to prior art tends to have a limited ability to achieve flexible display representations i.e. modifying pre-existing display information in response to for example changed operating conditions requiring a different set of information entities. The display systems according to prior further tends to diminish the ability of an operator of the display system to discriminate between different display information entities or require additional display screen space. This is especially the case when the display system is arranged to display a large amount of different information entities and/or when there exists a need to change display information.
Accordingly, there is a need to present improvements in the art of avionics and displays.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a display system, a display method and a computer program performing said display method, that are improving flexibility in regard of organizing display of information that also facilitate the ability of an operator to be able to simultaneously view a large amount of information of choice using a limited display area and to discriminate between different information entities.